Citizens push for better long-term care options

According to information from the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, the lack of choices in long-term health care is a major issue in Tennessee.

By any number of measures, Tennessee lags far behind all other states in offering older and disabled citizens a chance to receive care in their home, rather than in an expensive nursing home.

But fortunately, with the support of citizens and organizations around the state, state government has been focusing on a more balanced approach to long-term care. ?Choices for Care? legislation passed in 2005 calls for changes in policy to ensure that needed services, such as adult day care, in-home respite care, and care in assisted living facilities, are accessible and affordable to individuals and their families. It also calls for changing the state budget to allow money previously used only for nursing home care to be available for home and community-based services as well.

There will be a rally for the Choices for Care campaign April 5 at the War Memorial Plaza in Nashville, organized by the Commission on Aging and Disability and partner organization AARP. One of the purposes of this rally is to thank Gov. Bredesen for focusing on this critical challenge and to support him as state legislators move forward in addressing this important issue.

The Warren County Senior Center is joining in this campaign and a chartered bus will be leaving from River Park Hospital at 9 a.m. April 5 at no charge to those who wish to attend. At noon, there will be a free boxed lunch served to attendees and the program will begin at 1 p.m. There will also be a special presentation of thousands of signed postcards to the governor. For the event there will free parking at Titans Stadium with complementary shuttle services to the rally. The event should conclude around 2 p.m.

Senior Center executive director Cheryl Watson Mingle says long-term care is a problem that affects not only seniors, but people of all ages who would prefer to remain at home rather than in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home.

?People don?t realize how important this is,? Mingle said. ?This could affect me, you, it could affect any age. If you were in a car wreck and you were completely disabled, never to walk again, or maybe even feed yourself. Would you prefer to be at home with your loved ones, or in a nursing home??

Much of government funds for long-term care is currently going to nursing homes, and proponents of the Choices for Care program say it?s vital some of that money go to provide alternatives to these types of facilities.

?If it gets passed in the Governor?s budget, this will give people more choices,? Mingle said. ?They would be able to stay at home, with people coming into the home to help take care of them.?

For more information, contact the Senior Center at 473-6559. Organizers also encourage interested individuals to visit the Choices for Care campaign Web site at www.choicesforcare.org to sign a postcard online.